Pop Open Round 3.2 - Reveals and Reviews

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Here's what these two tracks were (hear them at http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/12/pop-open-week-151/)

TRACK THREE: Kasia Stankiewicz - "Francuzeczka" - brooding electro monster that's probably my favourite thing in the entire Pop Open so far: I love the Beatley flutey breakdown too. Sounds like a great lost tATu album-closer (and the new tATu track, "White Robe", is doing a similar slow-burn thing but less successfully). Does it need to be five minutes long? Nah, but that's my only quibble.

TRACK FOUR: Stars - "The First Five Times (Russian Futurists Remix)" - when I saw the title I thought "this is going to be about sex" and yes, it is. Well OK, they don't actually make it explicit, it could be about cribbage. The guy has a really creepy voice and the lyrics are a bit Hefner. (When I liked indie I wouldn't have liked this, because I'd have been faintly envious of the fictional sordidness depicted. Now of course I'm much more grown-up and blame it on the voice.) That said the backing works - a really awkward collision of bleeps, guitar crunches, stumbling big beats, bored sighs etc etc. Just wish there wasn't singing on it.

You can still vote, and indeed should still vote, in the poll: http://community.livejournal.com/poptimists/485388.html - don't be swayed by my reviews.

And while you're at it go and do the year-end one too: http://community.livejournal.com/poptimists/490362.html

There's another Pop Open ready to roll tomorrow, and I'll announce the results of this one. It's fair to say this will not "all be over by Christmas", specially as I'm still waiting on a few songs.

Comments

[koganbot]

TRACK THREE: Kasia Stankiewicz - "Francuzeczka": I like the late medieval (or early renaissance or early 20th century or post Ottoman) Transylvanian melodies, and I like the dance interruption even more, which is very rockin' and boshy-buzzy and sexily Europop with "Oh Oh Ohs." In fact, I like that part so much that I'm disappointed when Transylvania returns, which tends a bit too much for icy goth smugness. Nice overall, though.

TRACK FOUR: Stars - "The First Five Times (Russian Futurists Remix)": The main vocals are blankly British, male restraint trying to be a shorthand for sensitivity, but some excellent weirdo woman comes in and rescues this with exquisitely sexual "Oh Ohs." Once again a track is taken to a higher level by well-placed "Ohs." This one builds as it goes along, the feeling of the "ohs" permeating the faux sensitivity, though not enough to totally ameliorate the sensitivity's blank Briticism.

Likable, both of these, though I went with the Transylvanian technogoth. Responding well to blatancy, I am.